OK I found pictures triple black with bucket seats with a four-speed so I guess it's not your car scottsdale 2009 sold for 153k those were the days when these cars used to bring money now a 71 GS Stage stage one convertibles averaging between 70 and 80 K .
I found the car in 1985 in the local paper. I remember vividly calling and talking to the kids mom. The car was listed for 4500. The woman told me that it was "restored" with all new paint and interior. I was 18 and already had a few cars and zero money. I didn't gsvd 4500...didnt have $45 at that time! That Saturday night I went to the local car gathering and find out that a guy I knew bought the car. Tells me he got it for 2800 which added insult to injury. I remember him taking me for a ride in it up and down the local cruise night strip. Thibgs changed and I fell out of touch with that particular guy and I stopped going to that cruise night. Fast forward almost 20 years...in 2002ish, I was cruising through eBay and found a 71 stage 1 4 speed convertible basket case that sold for $7500. It spurred me to find out what ever happened to that black stage 1 that got away from me when I was 18. So i start looking up old friends and making calls. I finally find Roger, my old friend who bought the convertible. He remembered me! Tells me he's married with 2 kids and is living in PA. I asked him what ever happened to his old vert. Tells me he still has it. Its buried under 3 feet of snow in his backyard. Telks me he wants to sell it and he will call me in the spring. I come home one day on a Friday afternoon in the spring and the phone rings. Its Roger. He says that if I want the GS, I can have it for $900. I tokd him I would be there in the morning. I was there at 9am with my truck, trailer, a cup of coffee and $900 in cash. When I saw it, it looked far different than when I last saw it in 1985. It was in a word... rough. I didn't even look it over, I handed him the 9 bills, pushed it on the trailer and was home by 1pm. I get home and take off the sheepskin seat covers and find the names "fred" and "barbie" embroidered on the seat backs. I call Roger and he tells me those are the names of the prior owner's parents. The kid in 1985 bought the car from his parents. I asked Roger where exactly he bought the car. He remembered the street. So naturally, I go to that street abd start knocking on doors. I must of knocked on 6 doors before I see a guy getting out if his car walking up his driveway. I asked him if he knew a Fred or barbie who lived on thus block. He said sure! They were my neighbors! He tells me barbie's last name and I run home and open the white pages. There she is....i call the number and a woman answers . I asked her, "is this barbie?" I swear she almost dropped the phone. She tells me, "who is this??? No one has called me that in years!" I tell her that I own a black GS convertible with her name embroidered on the seat. She fell over! Tells me her son has been trying to find that car for years and i need to call him. I call Lenny and we must of talked for an hour. He was relentless. He wanted that car back in the worst way. Took him 3 months of trying but he finally broke me down. I gave him a price he would be sure to say no to....and the SOB said he would be there in the morning.... I counted the money on the hood of the car and handed him the keys. Took me close to 20 years to get that car abd j sold it in three months. I did get to get it running abd drive it around the block a few times
Yes. For me, it was always the thrill of the hunt and the high i used to get off it. Once I had the car, the novelty wore off a little and started looking for the next one
Wow, you did some real detective work! Sounds pretty amazing the car even survived. I knew two of your cars owners when it was still in this neck of the woods. Bob Carson ( pretty sure I’m getting that name right, we’re talking three decades +ago) Wyoming based and he also owned a brown 70 stage one hardtop. I own his old 68 post race car. Mike and Jewell here in Colorado who you purchased the car from. All of them just great people and great caretakers. Got a ride in your car 20+ years ago and it was a drooler then! Pretty cool it has been enjoyed for 50 years (Almost) at this point. Steve weim55 Colorado
Two Thumbs you have the best Buick stories you being a Rag Top Man I cant believe you let it get away
Exactly right Steve. Bob was a prior owner and I bought the car from Jewell. Pretty cool you got a ride in it.
Ok....repairs and upgrades have restarted! Honestly, I have to keep myself busy here as there's really nothing else to do but stay in the garage and work on my car. Soooo......the windshield was leaking like a sieve. On the rare occasion I got caught in the rain, the water would drip like crazy. Its the original glass and original seal. So out it came. Once it was out, I refinished the top of the dash. It really needed it. Refinishing the dash necessitated dropping the defroster duct work. And that necessitated pulling the cluster which I freshened up. Came out really nice. I nailed the right flatness too. When everything was apart, I cleaned and detailed everything behind the dash. The pinchweld was in excellent shape. Just a little dried up seam sealer. Installed new clips and gave the moldings a fine wetsanding and polish. Also took out the wiper transmission, detailed it and got new bolts from Todd. Very satisfied with the results.
Now the car is back at my friends body shop to refinish the underside of the hood and paint the very back edge with the correct aquamist overspray. And while it was there, im having him paint the nos right side bezel I bought like 10 years ago. The one on the car has some slight damage on it that always bugged me
Im half thinking about pulling the engine and trans this winter for a thorough decreasing, painting and detailing. That way I can refinish the cradle too
